James Maxwell has taught art for forty years and he isn't stopping. He has worked with cement/concrete for the last thirty years, first as a hobbyist, then as a working artist. He conducts seminars for those interested in this media to enhance their art experience. For gardening groups with specific goals, Maxwell designs two- to four-hour learning projects. In summer he provides an open working studio for individual artists, and at The Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens.

An illustrator for publishers and authors in the book industry, Maxwell works to make graphically clear the authors intention for the publisher’s print requirements. He works for clients that need promotional material to enhance their businesses at the rate of $60 per hour. His personal work, writing and paintings of a local wilderness, keeps him interested in exacting observations.

As a staff-artist for NBC-TV, Maxwell’s work included painting dancers’ bodies on Laugh-In; he was a crew member of The Dean Martin Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, and worked with NBC news as graphic artist for documentaries. He provided courtroom sketches for both the Charles Manson and Angela Davis trials. He received an Emmy for his graphic work in television for NBC-TV. PBS-TV in Los Angeles hired him as a Staff Illustrator/Designer, pinch-hit for a set designer by designing an Elizabeth Kubler-Ross film presentation of "Death and Dying".

In 1973 Maxwell moved to Mendocino, California to pursue his dream of being an independent artist and became a professional artist and teacher. He arranged weekend and full week classes at the Mendocino Art Center, as well as taught for the College of the Redwoods semester classes for four years. Returned as a teacher at College of the Redwods until he desided to retire.

"That didn't stick. Mind and body too active as you can see from my Recent work postings." – JM

An extensive traveler, Maxwell’s paintings and writing have been published by in-flight airline magazines. An anthology of his and others of his writing group's travel stories appear in Along the Way - Travel Stories.

Maxwell serves his local business community as information architect for point-of-purchase graphic design for print, packaging, and web site design. Currently he freelances.

He opens his home, studio, his considerable collection to interested collectors.

I’ve been in conversations and thinking a lot about altered states of consciousness. Mainly about those not induced by food, drink or drugs. One’s like “doubt” — “hunger” — “fear.” I believe you know these and others we carry around with us daily, hourly, minute by minute. Those that cause us sadness, pain while our eyes stay open to what is real, right in front of us. A state of mind that I did not ask for or deserve. Some flights of fancy that lead me into what? From some outside influence to do something? For some subtle purpose? To raise my blood pressure? I recognize I am vulnerable to being entranced by another person. These are subtle influences, forced states of mind, that do not stand as firmly in my shoes as I do. Yes, they are entertaining, distracting, sometimes playful, they are will of the wisps. HOPE. Now that is a mystery, but those perscription drugs should be looked upon with a searing light.

What are the dues for being open?

This search may prove enlightening. Perhaps I might find the source of my confusion, my ignorance, recognize the experience before it takes hold. Those weaknesses plague me, cause self judgment to question my humanity then view another with suspicion. I may find that my self respect is power enough to not be influenced by those ideas. I sincerely hope so, but my mind does wiggle a bit even when I’m doing yoga. I am awake to those states that cause me to realize, This is an altered state of mind, BEWARE or aware. What outside purpose? I must stay vigilant for those influences that could pull me off my path. I need to recognize altered states of mind, and stand firm.

What I am sure of is when I realize I am not securely in my body, in touch with my heart, and I don’t take absolute care of it I am prone to an altered state. So disconcerting because I choose to be the only one who I will let me lead my life. I must collect the best of me to accompany me into MY future. It will not be one of the political.

An individual is simply who they are.

I recognize my ego, teasing, just out of sight. I am attempting to make it my buddy. My id, bubbling up from who knows where? Both responsible for at times steering me where the destination is questionable, where I have found embarrassment, pain, sorrow and regret, some entertainment, confusion at my powerlessness. Some of that is real, some not. My buck must stop with me.

One of these days I’m going to the fen for a walk and bring a friend on some future Sunday. Do you fancy coming along, engage in a conversation of observations? Perhaps make a self discovery or two? Listening to all that is … to differentiate what isn’t. You know –– getting down.

Its contents supports the work of James Maxwell multimedia artist and writer. As a graphic designer his work consists of being a teacher of watercolors, oils, acrylic, and other graphic media. He is commissioned for paintings in private collections, and public venues. His print works ranges from etchings to glicee. Author of "The Concrete Gourmet's Cookbook - Solid Recipes" - the book consists of 12 chapter of how to make objects using the refered-to concrete recipes, cement recipes, using concrete as fine art material, cement as media. The how-to use these concrete projects range from making garden planters to food safe serving vessels, worm bunkers to sculptural mixes, and day to day usable objects to follies.

Names and words associated with James Maxwell are: artist James Maxwell, author James Maxwell, illustrator, Graphic designer, painter, watercolorist, sculptor, multimedia artist, writer, The Concrete Gourmet's Cookbook, cement recipes, concrete recipes, how-to mix concrete, concrete art projects, Along the Way - Travel Stories, he is co partnered with Mendocino Stories an online community of artists, writers, and musical artists, http://www.mendocinostories.com, he is one of three coauthor, and the graphic designer, of Along the Way Travel Stories.